Doane Robinson

Doane Robinson

Doane Robinson is known as the "Father of Mount Rushmore." It was his idea for colossal carvings in the Black Hills. He wanted to create an attraction that would draw people from all over the country to his state.

In August of 1924 he contacted Gutzon Borglum who was working at Stone Mountain, Georgia, on the face of Robert E. Lee. In his letter Robinson invited Borglum to visit South Dakota and talk over the possibility of carving a mountain. Borglum took Robinson up on his offer and met with him during September of 1924 and again in August of 1925. During this second trip Borglum selected Mount Rushmore as the mountain he wanted to carve. From that point on Robinson worked diligently to secure funding for the project. Doane Robinson's idea was a success.